a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to facilities for practicing and playing golf, and, more particularly, to an apparatus that provides an adjustable surface for practicing driving at such a facility.
b. Related Art
With respect to the game of golf, the term “driving” generally refers to forcefully hitting the ball a significant distance, for example from the tee or fairway using a wood or an iron as the club, as opposed to putting on a green. Being able to make a proper drive—without errors such as “slicing,” “hooking,” “topping,” and so on—requires not inconsiderable skill, which in turn requires significant practice. For this purpose driving ranges are provided at many golf courses and also at stand-alone facilities, where golfers can hone their skills by making multiple drives without having to play on an actual course.
Typically, a driving range includes one or more stations set behind a line, from which the golfers can drive the balls into an open area. In some instances these stations are merely areas of dirt or turf, but less primitive facilities commonly provide a series of stalls or “boxes” having walls to protect adjoining golfers, often under a roof to allow practice to continue during inclement weather. Natural turf will not withstand repeated use in such an environment, consequently mats of synthetic turf are typically installed in the driving areas, often on top of a concrete slab.
Although widespread, conventional driving range installations exhibit several significant deficiencies. First, although much more durable than natural turf, synthetic turf nevertheless wears fairly rapidly when subjected to the concentrated impacts and scuffing inherent in driving practice, and replacement normally involves a tedious, labor-intensive process of pulling up the worn turf and then installing a fresh layer, often using an adhesive. Also, any particular synthetic turf offers the golfer the ability to practice on only a single type of surface, whereas on an actual course different types of surfaces may be encountered, such as lower grass on fairways and taller grass or dirt in the rough, for example.
Yet another limitation of conventional practice driving ranges is that the driving area surfaces are generally horizontal, whereas apart from designated tee areas the surfaces of a real course are generally sloped. In other words, much or most of the driving on an actual course is done on sloped surfaces, which cannot be practiced on the flat, horizontal surfaces of most driving ranges. A number of devices with tiltable/adjustable driving platforms have been proposed or developed, however as a group such devices have employed linkages, drive mechanism, and so on that render them too complex, expensive, cumbersome and/or unreliable for use at normal driving ranges. In some other instances permanently angled platforms have been provided or constructed, which in addition to other disadvantages offer little or no flexibility and are therefore of relative little use, while at the same time occupying valuable frontage of the range.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an apparatus for golf driving practice that permits synthetic turf or other surface material to be replaced conveniently and efficiently when worn. Furthermore, there exists a need for such an apparatus that permits practice to be performed on different types of surfaces. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that permits driving practice to be performed on a sloped surface in a convenient and realistic manner. Still further, there exists a need for such an apparatus that is durable and economically practical for installation at driving ranges having multiple practice stations.